If I Don't Make it Back
by marchioness10
Summary: What if her hero never made it back? Songfic-Tracy Lawrence "If I don't make it back". One-shot for now.


**If I Don't Make it Back**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters or the song. The song is if I don't make it Back by Tracy Lawrence. **

_**Ranger POV**_

I looked at my men around me, silently watching how they laughed and teased each other as if tomorrow wasn't happening. Tank and I had received our orders from the General to ship out tomorrow at 0500. Mission classified-time frame undetermined. Hearing those words used to bring me pride. I was able to serve my country and defend the values my country was built on.

It was different now that I had someone to come home to. Steph had finally called it quits with the cop 7 months ago when she found out about his late night visits to Gilman. Two months later the guys told me to "Pull my head out of my ass" and tell her I loved her. We've been dating ever since.

I pulled back to the present and reminded myself why I was here. All of us had once made it a tradition to meet the night before any of us deployed to drink to the future and remember the stakes. I caught the bartender's eye and signaled for another round for us all as I contemplated what may be my final words to my men.

_We went out for beers and a couple of laughs  
Knowin' full well that every bad joke that Jimmy told  
Might be his last  
So we laughed like the world wasn't at war  
Said things to him we'd never said before  
And he teared up as he held up his glass  
He said, boys, if I don't make it back  
_

I caught their attention and they all sobered up for my speech. I had never spoken at one of these before and Tank looked stunned. I raised my beer and began what I knew would probably be my last words to many of them.

"This is war, Men. Where the only control we have is over ourselves and our weapon. The best we can do is watch out for ourselves and our brothers and pray that we make it home. But Men, if I don't make it back, you will keep living. And for my sake, make sure Stephanie does too."

_Have a beer for me, don't waste no tears on me  
On Friday night sit on the visitors side  
And cheer for the home team  
Drive my Camaro, 90 miles an hour down Red Rock Road  
With 'Born to Run' blastin' on the radio  
And find someone good enough for Amy  
Who will love her like I would have  
If I don't make it back_

The guys immediately protested, arguing that of course we would make it back; we always had in the past. I agreed with them, but I couldn't help this niggling feeling in the pit of my stomach, my spidey sense as Steph calls it. I knew I may not make it home this time.

We finished up our beers and headed out to the broncos. I pulled Tank to the side as we neared the trucks and he stopped and shot me a quizzical look.

"I just wanted you to know, I asked Stephanie to marry me and she said yes."

His eyes lit up at the new information. He and Lula had married recently and I knew he was glad that I was finally settling down with Steph.

"We decided to make you the best man, and Lula the maid of honor. I just figured you should know, just in case."

He shot me a look that spoke volumes. Having been practically brothers for years he was sensing my hesitancy with this mission.

"Don't give up before we get there," he said after a moment's silent communication.

_We said, hey, man that ain't gonna happen  
Don't even think like that  
If we know you, you'll pull through without a scratch  
He pulled me aside in the parkin' lot  
Said, Amy and me we're gonna tie the knot  
You're my best man, just wanted you to know that  
Just in case I don't make it back_

Have a beer for me, don't waste no tears on me  
On Friday night sit on the visitors side  
And cheer for the home team  
Drive my Camaro, 90 miles an hour down Red Rock Road  
With 'Born to Run' blastin' on the radio  
And find someone good enough for Amy  
Who will love her like I would have  
If I don't make it back

_**Tank POV**_

We've been in this humid jungle for 3 months with bad intel. This mission was FUBARed from the beginning. We were quickly running out of food, medicine, and hope.

We finally managed to set up camp in a relatively secluded area of the jungle. Ranger and I took first watch while the others searched for wood and anything edible to add to our MRE's. We had been sitting for a half hour when we heard the sounds of crawling across leaves. We immediately went on the defensive, searching for the source of the noise. Tony, another member of the team crawled into the camp with a bleeding gunshot wound to the stomach. Ranger took off running when he said that the team had been intercepted by hostiles. I knew Ranger could take care of himself and that I needed to tend to Tony's wound. After 2 hours of waiting for survivors to return the dread in my stomach solidified and sank as I realized what had happened. I set Tony up with an AK-47 and began my anxious trek through this god-forsaken jungle.

I crept up to a clearing and carefully surveyed the trees surrounding it before I dared to come closer. Not catching any movement, I moved forward and scanned the ground of the clearing, stumbling as I realized what I saw.

Ranger must have stumbled right into a torture. The remaining members of the team had been sliced, burned and shot to hell. Ranger took out the hostiles but was hit three times. I carefully picked my way over to him and dropped to my knees to see if I could help him. As I touched his chest he wearily opened his eyes and grasped the front of my uniform.

"You get the hell out of here ASAP. In my safe in the apartment is a copy of my will. Read it and follow it. Please, tell her I love her, and that I will miss her." He closed his eyes and his grasp went limp.

"No Ranger! Ric! Wake up, man. We gotta get out of this hell-hole together! Ric!"

There was nothing I could do. I immediately called the General and told him to get the remaining soldiers the fuck out of this jungle. He gave me GPS coordinates and I managed to get Tony loaded up and we slowly made it to the drop point. The helicopter picked us up and dropped off four new soldiers to collect the bodies. Only Tony and I were going home.

_If the good Lord calls me home  
I'd like to think my friends  
Will think about me when I'm gone_

Stephanie knew as soon as she saw me. She dropped to the floor and sobbed with no sounds. She just knelt there, silently screaming as she realized that Carlos wasn't coming home. Lester, Bobby, and I held her through the night and we all cried for our loss. I didn't notice the slight bump in her stomach until morning.

The next few months were difficult for us all. Ranger had left me Rangeman and I was doing my best to make sure I didn't screw it up. It was my piece of Ric that he wanted me to have. Stephanie was heartbroken, but she knew that he wanted her to live; for him and for herself. With his will he left a letter specifically for her telling her that he wanted her to move on, to find someone to love her like he would have. She just couldn't let him go. None of us ever would.

_Well, Miller Lite ain't my brand  
But I drink one every now and then, in his honor  
And we ain't missed a home game yet  
Had that Camero at 110 on Red Rock Road  
When the speakers blowed  
And I introduced Amy to a friend of mine from Monroe  
He's a good ol' boy  
But you know, she just ain't ready. _


End file.
